1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a micro antenna and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a micro antenna and a method of manufacturing the same, by which a 3-dimensional (3-D) coil structure is formed on a first substrate, the first substrate is bonded to a second substrate, and the first substrate is removed with the 3-D coil structure left, so as to form the micro antenna above the second substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Antennas have various shapes and are manufactured using various methods. However, in a case of a micro antenna using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, horizontal conducting parts are formed of a conductive material on a substrate using a mask. Next, vertical conducting parts are formed using the mask to be electrically connected to the horizontal conducting parts, and horizontal conducting parts are formed using the mask to be electrically connected to the vertical conducting parts. As a result, a 3-dimensional (3-D) coil structure is completed on the substrate. However, it is complicated and difficult to form vertical conducting parts very high using a method of forming and piling or building up a structure on each layer using a mask.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustrating a related art method of manufacturing a 3-D antenna. Referring to FIG. 1A, a first insulating layer is formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip 2 which has been formed in advance. The first insulating layer is electrically connected to a seed metal pattern through electrodes 41 and 42 connected to the IC chip 2. The first insulating layer is electroplated using the seed metal pattern to form lower horizontal conducting parts 31. In other words, the first insulating layer is stacked on the IC chip 2 and then patterned. Next, the patterned areas of the first insulating layer are electroplated to form the lower horizontal conducting parts 31. Thereafter, a second insulating layer is formed, and a seed metal pattern connected to the lower horizontal conducting parts 31 is formed, and the second insulating layer is electroplated using the seed metal pattern to form upper horizontal conducting parts 32. As a result, an antenna 3 having a flat coil structure as shown in FIG. 1A may be manufactured.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view illustrating another related art method of manufacturing a 3-D antenna. In the coil structure illustrated in FIG. 1A, the lower horizontal conducting parts 31 are slantingly parallel with one another in a diagonal direction, and the upper horizontal conducting parts 32 are slantingly parallel with one another in an opposite direction to the diagonal direction. Also, the lower horizontal conducting parts 31 are electrically connected to the upper horizontal conducting parts 32. However, in the method illustrated in FIG. 1B, horizontal conducting parts 131 are formed on a lower surface of an IC chip 2 to be respectively parallel with horizontal conducting parts 132 formed on an upper surface of the IC chip 2. As a result, a coil structure 103 is completed.
In the above-described related art methods, an IC chip is formed, an insulating layer is formed of polyimide or the like on the IC chip, and lower horizontal conducting parts are formed on the insulating layer using electroplating, so as to realize an antenna. Next, an insulating layer is formed, and upper horizontal conducting parts are formed on the insulating layer using electroplating so as to manufacture a flat coil structure which is electrically connected. Thus, according to the above-described related art methods, insulating layers are required, and it is difficult to form a coil structure including high vertical conducting parts having square-like cross-sections. Also, an IC chip is formed in advance, and then the coil structure is formed on the IC chip using the above-described processes. Thus, a process of manufacturing the IC chip and a process of manufacturing a coil type antenna may affect each other.
In particular, technology for integrating several devices on a chip is required with the advent of System on Chip (SoC)-related technology. Thus, there is required a method of manufacturing an antenna device using an independent process which does not affect processes of manufacturing the devices and the IC chip. However, a conventional micro antenna and a method of manufacturing the conventional micro antenna do not satisfy such requirements.